Wheeled concrete burial vault



W. W. HAASE WHEELED CONGE-ETE BURIAL VAULT Dec. 21, 194s.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. l5, 1945 Dec. 21, 1948. w. w. HAAsE WHEELED CONCRETE BURIAL VAULT 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2l, 1948 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE WHEELED CONCRETE BURIAL VAULT WilbertW; Haas@ Forest Park, Ill., assigner to Wilbert Manufacturers Association, Forest Parle Ill., a rcorporation of Illinois Application September 15, 1945, Serial No. 616,626

` d'Glaims. l

This invention relates to a concrete `burial vault.

It has been a customary practice heretofore to deliver concrete burial vaults by truck to some convenient point in a cemetery, which is accessible to the delivery truck, and then to transport the vault across the cemetery sod on rollers to a point adjacent the grave opening. This practice is objectionable for a number of ,reasons and among these is the fact that the transportatfon of such concrete burial vaults on rollers across the sod of a cemetery tends to cut furrows in the sod and thus mars the appearance of the cemetery, especially when the ground is soft and wet, as in the spring of the year. Moreovensuch concrete vaults are heavy objects and are difficult to move in the manner heretofore employed..

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved concrete burial vault which is so constructed and arranged that rubber tired wheels may readily be mounted thereon for transporting thek vault from the driveway or other point of discharge from the delivery truck in the cemetery to a point adjacent the grave opening in an easy and expeditious manner and without cutting furrows in the sod of the cemetery or otherwise marring thekapvpearance of the same.

Another object of the invention is to construct the new concrete burial vault in such a manner that the rubber tired wheels maybe readily detached from the burial vault at theV grave opening.

An additional object of the invention., is to provide the new concrete burial vault with a detachable steering device by which the wheel bearing vault may be readily steered and guided as it is transported across the sod of a cemetery from the point at which it is unloaded from the delivery truck to the grave opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide the new concrete burial vaultwith a novel device for detachably mounting the steering wheels, embodied in the steering apparatus, upon the body of the vault itself.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are` illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best modes inwhich I have contemplated applying' thosewprinciplesf. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles'may'be 2 used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig.1 is a side elevational view of a concrete burial vault embodying a preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the new concrete burial vault as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 3 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on line 4-4 in Fig. 2 illustrating the mounting of the steering apparatus upon the body of the vault; and l Fig. 5 is a side elevational view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

VA preferred embodiment of the new concrete burial vault is 'illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, of the drawings, and is therein generally indicated at I0. The new concrete burial vault I0 comprises a body I'I, including side walls I2, a front wall I3, an end wall I4, and a bottom wall I5, the burial vault Ill being shown with the cover removed inasmuch as the cover of the vault does not form a part of the present invention and may be transported separately.

The body II of the new concrete .burial vault ,I i? may be composed entirely of concrete, or it may be composed of an inner liner of asphalt integrally bonded to an outer layer of concrete.

In molding or otherwise forming the body Il of the new concrete burial vault II), I form in the bottom wall I5 thereof two4 horizontal exn tending and aligned shaft sockets or openings I6, which may be cylindrical in form',` for the reception of wheel-bearing shafts il. As shown in the drawings the shaft openings I6 extend into the 'bottom wall I5 from opposite sides thereof. One such pair of shaft sockets or shaft openings I6 is located ata suitable point rearwardly of the center of gravity and rearwardly of the front to rear 'center of the body II of the vault, and another pair of shaft openings or sockets I6 is provided forwardly of the center of gravity and forwardly of the front-to-rear center of the body .II of the vault. The shaft sockets or openings I6 may beformed in any suitable manner, during the operation of molding or otherwise forming the new'burial vault, as by inserting greased dummyshafts or rods into the forms, at thek proper points, when pouring ory otherwise forming the ybottom wall I5 of the body of the vault, allowing' such dummy rods or 3 shafts to remain in position until the concrete has set, and then removing them from the bottom wall I5 of the vault so as toleave the shaft openings or sockets I6.

Each of the rear shaft openings or sockets i6 is adapted to receive and house a cylindrical wheel-bearing shaft I'I on which a rubber tired wheel I9 `is mounted, and each ,-ofthe front shaft openings or sockets ItA is adapted to receive and house a similar wheel-bearing shaft I'8 on which rubber tired wheels 20 are mounted. Hence, :it will be seen that the openings I6 provide bearing openings in which the wheel-bearing shafts II and I8 are rotatably but removablyjournaled,

In order to steer and guide the .new concrete vault I upon its supporting wheels lgflandy 28, I provide a steering or guiding device which is generally indicated at 2i in the'drawings. As a part of the guiding or steering device 2| Iform a shaft opening or socket 22 in the bottom wall I of the vault, during. the operation of molding or otherwise forming said bottom wall I5 as `by inserting a greased,dummy-shaftor rod therein during the molding operationrand removing the same from the bottom wall I5 4after rthe concrete is set, thus providing. theshaft socket or opening 22. -As shown in FigsZand-fi, the shaft open-` ing or socket 22 is arranged substantially mid` Way between the` sidewalls I2 ofthe vault.l and extends rearwardly from. thefrontwall. I3I.to a point immediately.'forwardlyof the shaft sockets or openings I6 for the .front wheelfbearing shafts I8.

The guiding orsteering device 2| includes. a

shaft or rod'23, the rear endportion of which projects into the socket or opening 22..'and the frontend portion of which extends forwardly of the'front wall I3 of they bodyIII ofthe burial vault, as shown. "The, guidingor steering device 2| also includes a metal plate24 which includes a substantially triangular shaped front end portion 25 and-a depressed or downwardly offset substantially rectangular rear end portion 25. The substantially triangular front end portion25of the plate' 24 is welded, as at'2'I, tothe shaft or rod 23 and, as shown in the-drawings, the substantially rectangular rear endportion 26 ofthe plate 24 projects under the bottom-.wall I5 ofthe body II of the burial vault. An angularly extending shoulder portion 28 vinterconnects the, substantially triangular portion 25 and the substantially rectangular portion 26 of'` theA plate,24 and when the platev 24 is in position of use the shoulder 28 abuts the corner formedby the`intersection of the front wall I3 and the .bottomwall I5 of the body II of the vault I 0.

The steering or guiding device 2| .includes a swivel stud or pin`29 whichis mountedin the plate 24, at the frontv ofthe substantially triangularportion 25 thereof. A disc.,.orv ring. 30..is swivelled on the stud or pini29, above lthe upper surface of the triangular shaped portion ..25 of the plate 24 and a key'3I extended through .an opening in the pin or stud 29'keeps these .parts in assembled relationship "(Fig. .4)

A shaft hanger .bracket 31 is formed integral with the disc or ring 30 and this bracket 31embodies a` pair of shaft hanger orbearing arms 32. A shaft 33 is rotatably journaled in bearing openings providedin the shaft'hanger arms 32 and a pair of rubber tired pony or guide Wheels; 3 4 are .mounted on theshaft33.

Thus it `will ybe seen that the parts 29-30-,3Z-

` 33and the Wheels 34 provideaa `pony wheel steering or guiding .devicewhichr is swivelly connected to the triangular front portion of the plate 24 and that the plate 24 is free to rotate slightly relative to the body II of the vault due to the fact that the shaft or rod 23 to which the plate 24 is fastened is journaled in the bearing opening 22 formed in the bottom wall I5 of the body I I of the vault I0.

To complete the steering -or guiding device 2I a handle bar or rod is fastened at its lower end portion, as at 36, upon the bracket 31.

In the use of the new concrete burial vault the wheels I9 and 20 may be installed in position of use either before or after the body II ofthe vault is mounted on the delivery truck for delivery to a cemetery and to a point therein as close as it 4is possible to reach by delivery truck. This is accomplished by slipping the wheel-bearing shafts I'I and I8 into their respective bearing openings I6 in the bottom wall I5 of the body II of the vault, the weight of the body of the vault upon the wheels I9 and 20 maintaining the shafts I'I and I8 inthe bearing openings I6.

The pony wheel guiding or steer-ingdeviceZI may be installed in position of use on the body II of the vault I0 by slipping the rear end portion of the shaft 23 into the-bearing socket or openingf22, which is formed in the bottom wall I5 of the body I I of the vault, while at the same time projecting the substantially rectangular rear portion 2li-'of the plate 24 under the front end.` portion -of the bottom wall I5 of the body of the vault with the offset portion or shoulder 28 abuttingy the corner formed by the intersection of the bottom=wallv I5 and front wall I3, as shown in Fig-4.

After delivery to the cemetery the new concrete burial vault may be moved across the cemetery sod from the point of delivery to a point adjacent the grave opening bymanually pushing upon the body II of the vault. During this, movement the weight of the body II of the vault-will rest upon and will be distributed over the four rubber tired wheels I9 and 20 so that the sod of the cemetery will not be marred by furrows cut therein. During this operation the wheel-bearing body II of the concrete yburial vault may be guided by'means ofthe handle bar 35 and attached pony truck 29-30-3I-32-34-31. As the body II -of the vault I0 is thus moved across the cemetery from the point of delivery by truck to the grave opening the shaft 23y is allowed limited turning movement in its socket or opening 22 as the wheels I9 and 20 move over` irregularities in the ground or cemetery sod surface.

After the body II of the new concrete burial vault has been delivered to a point adjacent the grave opening, the steering or guiding device 2I may be readily detached therefrom by simply pulling the rear end :portion of the shaft 23 out of its socket or opening` 22 in the. bottom wall I5 of the lbody II of the vault HJ. Thefrontaand rear wheel-bearing shafts I8 and Il .and `the Wheels 20 and I 9, respectively, attached thereto may then be detached from the body II of the vault I0 by raising4 the body II of the Vault slightly and pulling the wheel-bearing shafts I'I and I8 out of their respective sockets .or openings I6, as indicated in dotted lines `in Fig. 3.

A modification ofthe invention isrillustrated in Fig. 5, and is therein generally indicatedl at Illa. This form of the invention is, in general,

y similar tothe form, of the invention shown vin Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, and. differs therefrom only in the fact that only one pair of` supporting wheels I9a, is mounted upon the body-IIa ofthe vault, in this form of the invention, rather :thanistwo pairs of the same, as in the form of the invention shown in the Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Hence in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, those parts thereof which are otherwise similar to parts embodied in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, have been given the same reference numerals, followed by the additional reference character a.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and improved concrete burial vault having the desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out, and others which are inherent in the invention.

I clair-3:

1. A vehicle of' the character described, comprising, in combination, a concrete burial vault comprising a unitary concrete vault body including side walls, a front wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall having two pairs of transversely extending bearing openings formed integrally in the concrete thereof, said transversely extending bearing openings extending inwardly in said bottom wall at substantially right angles to the said side walls of said vault body, the said bottom wall of said vault body having an additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening formed integrally therein and said additional bearing opening extending rearwardly in the said bottom wall of said vault body from the said front wall thereof alc-ng a line approximately midway between and substantially parallel to the side walls of said vault body, said additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening in the said bottom wall of said vault body opening at its front end upon the front surface of the front wall of said vault body, each of said two pairs of said transversely extending bearing openings having a wheel-bearing shaft removably journaled therein, said additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening having a supporting shaft removably journaled therein, said burial vault body having a pony wheel steering device mounted on said supporting shaft, said pony wheel steering device including a plate member having a front end portion attached to the said supporting shaft and projecting forwardly of the front wall of the said vault body and having a pair of pony steering wheels swivellf,T mounted thereon, and the said plate member including a portion projecting under the bottom wall of the said burial vault body.

2. A vehicle of the character described, comt prising, in combination, a concrete burial vault comprising a unitary concrete vault body including side walls, a front wall7 a rear wall and a bottom wall having transversely extending bearing openings formed integrally in the concrete thereof, said transversely extending bearing openings extending inwardly in said bottom wall at substantially right angles to the said side walls of said vault body, the said bottom -wall of said vault body having an additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening formed integrally therein and said additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening extending rearwardly in the said bottom wall of said vault body from the said front wall thereof along a line approximately midway between and substantially parallel to the side walls of said vault body, said additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening in the said bottom wall of said body opening at its front end upon the front surface of the front wall of said vault body, each of said transversely extending bearing openings having a wheelbearing shaft removably journaled therein, said additional and longitudinally extending bearing opening having a supporting shaft removably journaled therein, said burial vault body having a pony wheel steering device mounted on said supporting shaft, said steering device including a plate member having a front end portion attached to said supporting shaft and projecting forwardly of the front wall of said vault body and having a pair of pony steering wheels swivellyT mounted thereon, and said plate member including a portion projecting under the bottom wall of the said burial vault body.

3. A vehicle of the character defined in claim 2 in which the said bottom wall of the said concrete vault body has a single pair of the said transversely extending bearing openings formed therein and -in which the said single pair of transversely extending bearing openings are located rearwardly of the front to rear center of the said vault body.

4. A vehicle of the character defined in claim 2 in which the said plate member includes a main body extending in a substantially horizontal plane and in which the said portion of the said plate member which projects under the said bottom wall of the said vault body extends in a substantially horizontal plane which is offset downwardly below the plane of the body of the said plate member and has the front portion of the bottom wall of the said vault body resting thereon, and in which the said plate member has a shoulder portion formed therein at and by the intersection of the said bo-dy of the said plate member and the said downwardly offset portion thereof, and in which the corner portion of the said vault body formed by the intersection of the said bottom wall and the said front wall of the said vault body bears against the said shoulder portion of the said plate member when the said vehicle is in use.

WILBERT W. HAASE.

REFERENCES CITED rEhe following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 614,371 Daly Nov. 15, 1898 900,218 Seifert Oct. 6, 1908 984,494 Russell Feb. 14, 1911 1,027,453 Wible May 28, 1912 1,370,611 Shullleton Mar. 8, 1921 1,413,852 Hoklanen Apr. 25, 1922 1,581,061 Johnston Apr. 13, 1926 1,642,502 Krasberg Sept. 13, 1927 1,714,383 Leon May 21, 1929 1,815,952 Morriss July 28, 1931 2,088,854 Greiner Aug. 3, 1937 2,115,864 Livermon May 3, 1938 2,227,762 Ronning June 7, 1941 2,373,412 Plecki Apr. 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,126 France June 25, 1914 709,929 France May 26, 1931 

